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Silver Veil
The farmer raced through the undergrowth at the edge of the woods. Ferns and vines, laden with the day's rain, brushed coolly against his sweat-drenched shirt, like cold limbs calling him back to the dark forest. His breath clouded the air in front of him, and his eyes glinted with the far off light of his cabin, where his children slept in peaceful ignorance. '' ''The heavy wooden door brushed over the stone floor as he opened it, carrying the fresh lavender and rushes his wife had laid that evening. She always kept the house clean and sweet-smelling, and the scent of flowers in the fields always brought his mind home. She looked at him from the bed, anxious eyes flitting from his face to his shirt, following him as he crossed the room to the sword on the mantle-piece. The old steel whispered as he drew it from the sheath. A howl pierced the night air, guttural and terrible. Only he knew its face, its monstrous features. Only he knew how the ritual had failed, how the offerings had been swept off the stone altar by the screaming priest, his face writhing in the baleful light. He moved to the door and the firelight seemed to die, replaced by creeping silver light which played across the blade in his hands, sending cackling shadows dancing on the walls. The Silver Veil, known commonly as the Moon, is the manifestation of another plane, linking the Material Realm of Tolas to that of Eschensil. The Veil serves as a barrier and deterrent for the most powerful of entities from other planes such as gods or archdevils from materialising on Tolas, as those that have traveled through it have been driven made from the effort, or had their forms warped and twisted in subtle ways. History Like Eschensil, much of the history of the Veil is kept by the elves, the race that dwelt beyond the Veil for much of their existence. The New Moon Tolas was first exposed to the energies of Eschensil when Valheria delivered her planar anchor, binding it to the mortal realm so closely that its presence could be seen as a faint glow in the night sky. From this proximity the chaotic energy poured from Tolas into Eschensil, disrupting the delicate balance within. This influence damaged the wards that maintained the plane and when a tipping point was reached, the chaotic forces of the plane began to feed upon themselves, warping the plane, sundering its structure and eventually leading to the death of its master. The elves, Valheria's immortal servants, pooled their magics and rent a tear in the fabric of the planes, fleeing their home to the relative safety of Tolas. This portal would remain, hanging in the night sky. Its appearance alarmed an confused the natives of Tolas and few understood its true nature nor foresaw the chaotic influence it would have upon their home. Description The elves' great portal never fully closed, but waxes and wanes in the night sky as the plane strains against its decayed anchor. For the mortal races of Tolas, the Silver Veil is always the herald of strange, magical occurrences. Striking seemingly at random, Escehnsil's power seeps into the Material Realm, causing sudden outbursts of magical energy, leading to paranormal phenomenon or outright mutation. Other times monstrous beings cross the divide, haunting the wilderness searching for a way home, or rampaging through civilised areas in a rage. While these occurrences are rare, the unending cycle of the Silver Veil, and its permanence in the memories of all living being in Tolas means its propensity for magic and the paranormal are universally known. Some turn to Gods such as Pelor to protect them, seeing the Sun as anathema to the moon. Others turn to the spirits, looking for guidance and warning. Still others turn to Eschensil itself, to beseech the powers there for blessings or mercy. For the Elves of Tolas, their time in Eschensil is a forgotten past, slumbering in their subconscious minds. Most pay the Veil no heed, while others are born fascinated by it, with a yearning to traverse its silver curtain. The Powers of Eschensil The beings of Eschensil were mighty before the fall of Valheria, and those that survived, whether originating on the plane itself, or taken from the Material, have grown stronger since. Some rule as warlords, stampeding on frightening steeds across the corpse of Valheria, carving out kingdoms and empires and bathing in the worship and adulation of mortals they toy with through the veil. Others are imbued with great magical power, and travel through the planes, searching for ways to mend their broken home, or bring its chaos elsewhere. Category:In-World Concepts Category:Feywild Category:Valheria